Mr Mercer's Mayhem
by K-BoT
Summary: When one of the more 'powerful' clients catches on to Wolfram and Harts plans, odd things start happening in the office.
1. Warn her

--Authors note- I own none of the characters, Joss Whedon (and all his glory) has the cred for that one.  
It is i guess teen rated...I suppose  
Feedback is great!

* * *

Lindsey McDonald strode down the hallway of Wolfram & Hart's Special Projects department. He had just gotten word that one of their top clients caught on to a certain scheme they had hatched to keep him out of jail but to in turn steal a great deal of money, under the radar, spilling some blood along the way. A client finding this kind of information out was a liability to the firm and a very serious matter, seeing as though he had been spotted not a mile away carrying some sort of mallet.

Since the senior partners had 'extinguished' the other competition, Lilah and Lindsey were the only two left. Yet instead of choosing between them, they decided it best to keep them both on as a type of partnership, a team of sorts. 3 months had passed and there was not one mishap or mistake made on any of their joint cases. The senior partners were beginning to get impressed by their professionalism. Little did they pay attention to the bickering or occasional threats that shot behind the office door, all that mattered was closed cases and bags full of money. Needless to say, that made this a very big deal. If the possibility were to arise where the client could be silenced without causing an up roar, then it would be taken.

Lilah and Lindsey had been the lead in this case, and would take the blame for every decision made. That's why he was in the process of going to her office; she had authorized the moneys departure from the bank. He wasn't going down alone.

The front of her office, facing the hallway, had a large paneled window and a door with an over sized name plate nailed on it. The windows curtains were drawn down, which was unusual. If she couldn't see her minions working constantly then there might as well be a dagger hovering behind her back. Or so she said.

With a hand on her door, Lindsey went to open it without a knock, but something caught his eye. There was a small part between the two heavy maroon fabrics. A figure sat on the couch and every couple seconds moved frantically. Taking a closer look, the shady figure slowly became noticeable as a slouching Lilah.

Slightly confused and intrigued he opened the door and scanned the room. No one appeared to be with her. Looking back Lindsey saw Lilah straighten on the couch, noticing his existence. She smoothed her black dress; however, it did nothing to help her appearance. Dark sickly circles surrounded her eyes almost down to the cheekbones that stood out excessively against her paper pale skin. Stray hairs stuck to her forehead and neck from sweat. Even through her current state, he could tell that somewhere within was a beautiful graceful woman.

"Um, WH-what do you want Lindsey?" she spoke hoarsely avoiding his eyes.

"Well I was planning on starting off with a 'Hi' then leading into how Mr. Mercer found out about our little plan on screwing him over and is now on his way over here to no doubt rip our spines out. As well that since you had a joint effort on this that I wont be taking the whole hit. But I can see you are preoccupied, I just thought you might want to lock the door." Lindsey said in a questioning tone, watching as she fidgeted on the couch.

He decided to bite. "Ok either tell me where the guy is you are hiding in here and what drugs you mixed together or pull up Mr. Mercers file so we know what kind of weapons to be packing when he breaks down the front door."

Yet she was going to be stubborn just as he had expected.

"No, sorry to say there is no naked man behind my desk for you to gawk at, but if you could get the file your self that would be great."

"Well I don't see why you can't since we are so close to a-"Lindsey paused noticing her finger nails digging into the leather exterior of the couch, her face frozen. "-computer."

She went to retort but decided it would seem more suspicious to throw him out then to just do what he asked. He watched her rise hesitantly and slowly make her way to the computer desk. Only 3 steps over and she had already taken 7 breaths.

"Ok, now this is getting a little ridiculous, obviously you have somehow managed to injury yourself in a completely empty office, so just-"Lindsey was cut off once again.

Lilah lurched abruptly forward, eyes wide unable to breath, she was trying to scream but nothing came out. In the next second her body lurched again this time doubling over on to the carpeted floor.

Lindsey just stood there watching it all unfold, like a movie. He didn't know what was happening or what to do about it. His eyes stared at her body jerk and fold into itself.

He was jerked out of the daze as a piercing scream escaped Lilah's lips, and she gasped breathing sharply from the lack of oxygen. He knelt down besides her looking her up and down. She shook violently her muscles tensing in pain. Eyes shut so tightly she didn't remember Lindsey was even in the room much less right beside her.

Noticing that her were arms were plastered around her waist, he took both her wrists and tried to pry them away from her stomach but that wasn't going to be easy. After a few moments the shaking became less frantic and her legs began to relax. Seizing the opportunity Lindsey pulled away her hands and noticed there were no cuts, stabs, or burns.

Feeling her limbs being involuntarily moved Lilah opened her eyes to find out what was happening. Yet as she did nothing came into view. Everything was white, the pain temporarily blinding her.

Lilah reached out to touch something, a hand grabbed hers and she stifled a gasp. As soon as it had touched her it let go again, and she found herself really wanting it back. Her head fell back exhausted believing who ever it had been left her for dead. Then the pain became apparent again, it was a dull constant pain but it was better then what ever kept crashing through her body periodically.

Lindsey tried to get Lilah to focus on his face but her eyes didn't seem to be focused on anything at all. He held his arms out in front of her unaware of what was happening. What _was _he supposed to do?

His hesitation was cut short when Lilah drug her arms to either side of her body and pushed up; she grimaced and decided to move slower. She drew in both legs, now on all fours, one hand reaching out for something to support her and the other for anything to trip on. He watched the young lawyer wobbly get to her feet, facing away from him feeling for the desk. Suddenly she stopped, chin touched her chest, eyes shut, arms extended to hold her balance as she recovered from a wave of dizziness. When it seemed like the fog had lifted, the path across her office started again.

First step, relatively easy

Second step, almost tripped

Third step, unsuccessful

Stumbling forward, her heel slipped sideways. Lindsey went forward but stopped when Lilah caught herself on the edge of the desk, barely missing a face-to-wood encounter. Hearing the footstep that was obviously not her own, she held on to the desk and opened the first drawer, retrieving a small object.

Spinning around she pointed the gun haphazardly at the shady figure some distance away from her.


	2. Stop her

'_What the hell' _Lindsey thought as Lilah pointed the gun. Some sort of machine boots up a number of floors above them. With the noise Lilah fires, and despite the fact it misses him by a good 7 feet, he flinches.

_'She has better aim then that…what is she shooting at?_ He thinks while sweeping the room with his eyes, still no one. Except the two of them…_'Wait shouldn't a swat team be busting in here with the sound of gun fire?' _The thought is pushed away by another loud bang emanating from the silver weapon.

Her arms could barely maneuver the small object plus the fact only a small tunnel of vision had become clear. Who ever was doing this was NOT going to take her down with out one hell of a fight.

Every time she saw, or even thought she saw something move it was going to die. There were only 6 more rounds in the gun, from the last time she shot it. Forgetting to reload would be a very humiliating cause of death.

Whatever machine had mad the noise seconds ago was now coming closer, every couple seconds a floor above would shake. Unfortunately Lilah didn't seem to have much sound perception at the moment and opened fire in a scared sort of rage.

Bullets one through five were miss aimed drastically from Lindsey, but as number six went flying be he felt the tiny shell graze his arm. The damage wasn't unmanageable, it was barely noticeable once he saw her face and realized his pain was nothing compared.

Clicking the gun repeatedly with no effect she threw it across the room as a ditch effort. It sadly (and gladly) missed. Lilah flinched as the weapon collided into a rather expensive European vase, smashing it to smithereens.

_'Damn, I'm glad that didn't hit me.' _Lindsey thought and began to make his way to the desk, stepping lightly, not quite sure if she would go terminator on him again.

She waited for breathing or footsteps but nothing came, only then did she drop the angry face. Once the desk was under her hands she put all her weight on it and tried to focus on one thing at a time. Everything ran through her head at once. '_Who's doing this? What's happening? What can I do about it? Will it happen agai-.'_

The last question was answered before the thought even completed in her mind. The adrenaline was wearing off from her small mission impossible moment, and the pain was evident. Though it was different and she knew what that meant.

"No, no, no." Lilah muttered to herself over and over again as if saying it could physically make it stop.

'_Could she really be doing this for some alternative motive? Is she capable of acting this way to get what she wants? I mean I have seen her go to pretty far lengths but why would she pretend to be in harms way just to get to me? Or is it not me that she wants? Yet there is absolutely without a doubt no one else here, and if there is then it's some sort of ghost or phantom. But Lilah knows better then to try and shoot a ghost, god a 5 year old would know that. If I was the target then she had 6 prime opportunities to take the kill shot. So then it's not me. I hope it's not me.'_

Lindsey slowly reached the perimeter of her desk, where she stood rigidly.

Whatever she had been trying to stop from happening obviously was not negotiating. It came quickly and without warning, leaving her upper body lying across the desk, hands gripping the edges. Fingers piercing the wood until her nails cracked and bleed.

The pain was still there but from the position she was in it seemed almost bearable. Not even questioning moving until Lindsey's elbow accidentally knocked over a pile of silver pens. She jumped and shot up. Without the gun and little sight to either eye she had to improvise. Though being temporarily-blind, unarmed, seized with pain, and petrified was not a good state for split second choices. At that moment something/someone took hold of her arm, that was her chance. Grabbing hold of whatever it was, she fought at and against its grasp.

Utterly confused, Lindsey refused to loosen his grip on Lilah's arm, even as she struggled and threw blind blows in what would seem to be his direction. Her fists did a number when they actually contacted with him. Almost doubling over when she punched just above his belt, Lindsey had had enough_. 'Getting beaten up by a woman was not on my agenda, especially one who is so clearly out of her mind.'_ Lindsey thought, grabbing her wrists binding them together. Yet that was not going to keep a woman like her down. She twisted but did not break his hold. Lilah gave a small shriek as her elbows were pinned to her sides, in a position that made her incapable of movement, helpless.

"Lilah…Lilah…LILAH!" Lindsey's voice got louder as she continued to thrash about.

The voice sounded so familiar yet unidentifiable. Not taking time to find out she repeatedly jerked away from her foe, trying un-victoriously to free herself.

"Lilah, stop STOP!" This method obviously wasn't working so he took a different approach. "It's me…Lilah, its Lindsey." He whispered in her left ear. When his name hit the air a wave of realization washed over her. Just as she started to relax, her posture shook and gave a bow. With Lindsey still standing rather close, his arms were suddenly full of lawyer. Her body crumbled into him causing them to both fall exhaustedly to the ground. In that second as Lilah leaned heavily shaking into his torso, his own back against the wood of her desk, Lindsey had his own realization.

She was not acting. She actually needed _him_, for whatever reason, for whatever was happening here.


	3. Remember her

Though it would have seemed like a rather unpredictable decision on his part, he didn't care. Holding her was his choice, maybe not one he would share but one he had the right to make. Lindsey not only played the fence, he made an art of it. Jumping from one side to the other when it pleased him, good-evil-good-evil. Truthfully he loved what being on the dark side brought to him, the greatest evil of all; power. Yet that damn human-guilt was so consuming.

Lilah however was a different subject. Since the beginging of their evil-power trip and before (yes he had been normal once), feelings had remained the same no matter how far he revealed them.

They started out at the same school, same internship, and ending up with the same job. The most appalling sights had been viewed by their eyes, in unison. Starting with the horrid Wolfram and Hart training video, then the disappearances of tardy pupils, death of colleague's right before them, as an example for 'misbehavior'. One of the most distinct memories of them was actually a quite disturbing one. It followed the end of the year exam in 12th grade, senior year at a private school up North. Kenneth Parks, Gavin parks older brother (always knew that family was no good), was caught with answers printed on his forearm, spell-binding tattoos. Not bad for a beginner in magic but stupid all-in-all.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, NEVER cheat Wolfram Hart out/with/or for ANYTHING. That lesson he learned the hard way, and he wouldn't forget it.

Night fell, the nightmare began. All the senior class, only 22 teenagers, were herded into a dungeon-like room just outside the campus. That room had always been a curiosity, but looking back, it was better left in mystery.

There lying on a slab of concrete was the body of Kenneth Parks, chained down, alive. An IV penetrated his vein, muscle relaxant. This was an example, a test, that none of them had been prepared for.

Heading the group was Mr. Higgins, their professor and Wolfram & Hart employee. He stood in a plastic lab coat, with a tray of instruments to the right, small to large, blunt to sharp. "Okay, today we are all going to participate in a hands-on experiment. Now Mr. Parks here, as you all know, was expelled for cheating on an exam. But just for memories sake I am going to show you what would happen to young Kenneth in the real world of Wolfram & Hart if he were to cheat us out of…well, anything. Does anyone have any questions before we begin?"

A fool in the back raised her hand. It would have been so much easier not knowing ahead of time. "Um, yes Mr. Higgins is Kenneth…dead?"

"Oh, no, he has been giving a medicine that forces the muscles which allow you to move cease from working, except for in his eyes and throat. This way he will be able to live with a clear mind for the last few minutes of his life. And if I forgot to mention, he can hear all of you as well."

If anyone dared speak to begin with, they didn't now. Not even an exhale could be heard. "If that rapes up the questions then I guess we will get to it then." Mr. Higgins grinned.

Front row center, Lilah and Lindsey were side by side, best seats in the house. He would never forget the look on her face when Mr. Higgins grabbed the double-bladed scissors and shoved them into Kenneth's thigh. The surge of blood that went flying from the wound could not be ducked. It left the bottom of his shirt sticky with a think wetness he had never quite felt before. Something else damp touched his hand, it was Lilah's. Holding blood stained hands together as blood dripped off their entwined fingers. Slightly stunned and comforted by the gesture Lindsey looked over to Lilah but met a sight that unraveled him far worse then Kenneth's mutilated leg.

Lilah had obviously suffered most of the bloodbath. A once cream dress was now crimson, only a short bit was still its original color. Her hair was matted with the thick liquid, running down her face, off the chin, along her cleavage and under the dress. That very image was one of two which he would always associate her with, no matter if he wanted to or not.

Lilah's gaze never broke Kenneth's body, even as he watched her react, hating himself for letting her end up this way. In Lindsey's mind, it had always been _his_ fault, no matter what other factors, _he_ should have stopped it.

After a few more carefully placed probes and needles, the professor beamed out at the terrified students. "Hmm, you all have viewed from afar, but that isn't going to get you very much insight now is it? How about a volunteer for some in depth experimentation? …Anyone? No? Well I guess that's to be expected, pity though." Mr. Higgins swept the audience with his goggle-protected eyes, stopping suddenly on the unlucky contestant.

_'Oh no, no, no, come on, anyone else, anyone.'_ Lindsey thought to himself, failing to change a damn thing as Mr. Higgins came around the slab and placed his bloody glove on-Lilah.

_'Run. run if you know what's good for you, run.'_ Thought the gaurds posted at either exit would have made it most difficult.

Drawing her forth, there was a look of relief upon every kid in the audience. She was powerless and went at will. Handing her a scalpel as well as a clamp, he instructed a cutting line with black sharpie.

Hesitant, unwilling, and unready Lilah lifted a small pale hand, not able to stop it from shaking. Placing the scalpel on his chest, she looked up. Kenneth had sat directly in front of her in 3 class' and now his face was there again, eyes pleading for her to spare him, throat trying to form a scream that wouldn't come up. "I am so sorry." She mouthed to him before shutting her eyes as tight as humanly possible and making a vertical slice down his chest. Blood and all sorts of foreign liquids streamed out from the incision. Biting tongues, squeezing thighs, and covering mouths were all they could do from bringing up food from last Wednesday.

Mr. Higgins patted her on the back but as she tried to walk away he kept a firm grip on her shoulder "Wait, wait, wait." Lilah waited, silent tears flooding her face mixing with blood and sweat. The professor grabbed an unfamiliar object that would become later known as 'the rib-cracker'. Not even Lindsey watched as he broke each rib at the center, but the snapping sound was torture enough.

"Okay, Lilah you have done exceedingly well but to rap it up I need you to do one last thing, the most important and most crucial in this case."

"Uh what is th-that s-s-sir?"

"Make the right move and pass this year with honors, choose wrong and fail, or be 'expelled' whatever you wish to call it. It is really quite simple actually. Just think about it. The Wolf the Ram and-"

"The…heart." Lilah whispered, moving closer once more to Kenneth's some-how-still-pulsing body. Only now did she look to Lindsey, who was forced to give a small nod, knowing it was the only way. Though if only he'd known the consequence.

Standing momentarily frozen weighing the chances she might faint or fall into hysterics, but finally she sucked in the capacity of her lungs with air. A bare hand hovered over his body then plunged into his chest as quickly as she could manage, grabbed something and was back out within 10 seconds.

There she was, holding a human boy's heart in her hand, fresh and full of blood. It coated her entire arm and whole right side. And at that second a sequence of motions was set in place so great that his mind could not conceive it at the time. Her eyes cleared, she cried no more, the tears seemed to evaporate. A look washed over her face, Mr. Higgins began to clap upon seeing it.

Lilah had finally become what Wolfram & Hart required her to be.

Numb.


End file.
